The majority of department stores, whether high-end or moderately priced, saw a decrease in store visits during the first quarter.
Only three of the eight department retailers analysed in Placer.ai’s most recent analysis experienced positive store traffic between January and March 2025: Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Bloomingdale’s, all of which are famous for their fashion options.
According to Placer.ai’s Department Stores in 2025 research, Nordstrom was the only high-end department store to increase overall store visits (+3.3 per cent) and average visits per location (+4.1 per cent).
Although Macy’s overall in-store visitation increased by 1.1 per cent over the period, its average visits per location remained steady, down 0.2 per cent. Similarly, Bloomingdale’s overall number increased by 2.7 per cent, while average visits per location declined 2.2 per cent.
Department retailers are seeing diverse attendance patterns as customer budgets continue to tighten due to rising prices. While luxury buyers have been more protected from the effects of inflation and rising expenses in some circumstances, visits to high-end department shops have not been immune to the general volatility, according to the survey.
Some department stores improved their performance in the first month of the second quarter of the calendar year.
April visits were more promising, with Belk and JCPenney, in particular, reporting increased visits in all but one week of April 2025. Dillard’s also showed positive visiting patterns, with weekly visits increasing throughout the first two weeks of April, according to Placer.ai. Traffic at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s improved in April, according to the report.
